Mormon Church

Personal response by Jack
At age 50 I was body surfing with my 16-year-old son and his friend at Laguna Beach, California. I took one “last wave” and accidentally hit by forehead on a submerged rock, my neck was broken, and my spinal cords severed between the second and third cervical vertebrae. I was instantly paralyzed, lost consciousness, and woke up two hours later in the Laguna hospital surrounded by doctors and nurses. One of the nurses noticed my eyes were opened and said to me, “Jack, if you can understand what I am saying, blink your eyes once.” I blinked and there was a collective sigh of relief in the room. That began for me a new way of life that has continued on for the past 19 years.

(more…)

Personal response by Jack

This is a very good and thought-provoking question. I would imagine that many people, at one time or another, have felt that perhaps there is a major conflict between science and religion. The age of the earth, how it was created, evolution, the dinosaurs, and a host of other seemingly knotty questions seem to preclude having faith in God and accepting evidence gleaned from the scientific method of discovering truth.

I just recently read a most fascinating book that for some reason I had missed over the years that helped me make sense out of this supposed science vs. religion conflict. It is Reflections of a Scientist by Henry Eyring. The book was published in 1983 and may be difficult to find but is well worth reading if you can find it.

Henry Eyring was a world renowned chemist who taught for a number of years at Princeton during the late 30s and through World War II. Albert Einstein was also on the faculty and they shared a number of experiences during those years. (more…)

Personal Response by Jack Rushton

I believe this is a very profound question that has undoubtedly been asked by millions of people from the beginning of time. Life can seem unfair at times as we experience our own personal suffering, and witness through our own eyes or through the media, the incredible suffering that seems to be such an integral part of the daily lives of people all over the world.

I had to come to grips with this question on a personal level when 19 years ago I broke my neck, severed my spinal cord, and became paralyzed from the neck down and ventilator dependent. (more…)

Personal Response by Nathaniel

Friends of other faiths have asked me why I wanted to go on a Mormon mission in the prime of my life. I was 23 years old, and most of my high-school friends had already graduated from college. My motivation for going on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) stemmed not only from my parents’ encouragement but a conviction that a mission would draw me closer to God.

(more…)

Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

Like Jews, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons or Latter-day Saints) accept the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) as the word of God. Like other Christians, Mormons also accept the New Testament as the word of God (see Article of Faith 8.)

However, just as Christians do not believe that the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is God’s final scripture, Latter-day Saints also do not believe the Bible (Old and New Testaments) is God’s final scripture. Nevertheless, Latter-day Saints carefully and prayerfully study, read, and draw inspiration from the Bible. The Bible is an important part of their regular course of Sunday School curriculum and is a required course of study at the Mormon Church‘s universities and in their weekday religious education programs. Most Latter-day Saints will own several Bibles in their lifetime, having worn copies out through their regular use. (more…)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) is against all forms of abuse–spiritual, physical, and emotional. Abuse is any hurtful form of treatment of another, including humiliation, domination, physical, psychological or spiritual harm inflicted on another person. The Lord never condoned any like behaviors but was and is an Advocate of peace and harmony for His children. (See Abuse)

In an interview with LDS practitioners discussing “spouse abuse,” John Nelson describes what is deemed inappropriate behavior: (more…)

Personal Response by James Faulconer

Developing faith requires that one have faith, but how does it come in the first place? Answering that question requires us to remember that the word “faith” means primarily “trust.” The question of how to have faith is the question of how to learn to trust God.

(more…)

The Book of Mormon is a record of the Savior’s teachings to His “other sheep”–the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. it is a volume of scripture that God prepared for over a thousand years to come forth in our day, and it is a second witness, or testament, of Jesus Christ. It includes the spiritual history of the descendants of a prophet, Lehi, who lived at the time of Zedekiah’s rule in Jerusalem. Lehi was warned of God that Jerusalem would be destroyed, and was told to flee the land. The Book of Mormon includes a moving account of the Savior’s literal appearance on this continent after His resurrection. The record was translated by Joseph Smith through the gift and power of God. It stands as a second witness, with the Bible, of Christ’s love, divinity, sacrifice, and teachings.
(more…)